Phil Ruffin
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Phillip Ruffin is an American businessman. He owns the Treasure Island Hotel and Casino and Circus Circus Hotel & Casino in
Las Vegas Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
, in addition to a number of other enterprises including hotels, casinos, greyhound racing tracks, oil production, convenience stores, real estate, and the world's largest manufacturer of
hand truck A hand truck, also known as a hand trolley, dolly, stack truck, trundler, box cart, sack barrow, cart, sack truck, two wheeler, or bag barrow, is an L-shaped box-moving cart, handcart with handles at one end, wheels at the base, with a small ledg ...
s. On the ''
Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine founded by B. C. Forbes in 1917. It has been owned by the Hong Kong–based investment group Integrated Whale Media Investments since 2014. Its chairman and editor-in-chief is Steve Forbes. The co ...
'' 2019 list of the world's billionaires, he was ranked No. 838 with a net worth of US$3.1 billion.


Early life and education

Ruffin was born in Potter County near
Amarillo, Texas Amarillo ( ; Spanish language, Spanish for "yellow") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Potter County, Texas, Potter County, though most of the southern half of the city extends into Randall County, Texas, Randall County ...
. He is of Lebanese descent (his family's surname was originally "Rufan"; ). He was raised in
Wichita, Kansas Wichita ( ) is the List of cities in Kansas, most populous city in the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Sedgwick County, Kansas, Sedgwick County. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population of the city was 397, ...
where his father had a grocery store. "Vegas a comfortable fit for Phil Ruffin's billions
, '' Wichita Eagle'', ROY WENZL AND TRAVIS HEYING, April 25, 2010. Retrieved March 13, 2020.
In Memory of Blanche Ruffin – Services will be held at St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral
June 24, 2013
He has four siblings: Elaine Ruffin Nemer, Roy Ruffin Jr., Pat Ruffin, and Pam Ruffin. In 1953, he graduated from Wichita North High School where he was a wrestling champion. "After he won the state championship," states one profile, "his father, who never attended a match, asked him if he was the one they were talking about in the newspaper."Alexander, Dan; Phil Ruffin: US President Donald Trump's gambling buddy; Forbes; April 5, 2017

/ref> He attended
Washburn University Washburn University (WU), formally Washburn University of Topeka, is a public university in Topeka, Kansas, United States. It offers undergraduate and graduate programs as well as professional programs in law and business. The university enroll ...
in Topeka for three years and
Wichita State University Wichita State University (WSU) is a public research university in Wichita, Kansas, United States. It is governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. The university offers more than 60 undergraduate degree programs in more than 200 areas of study in ...
but never got his degree.


Career

In 1972, Ruffin pioneered self-serve gasoline in Kansas, creating a chain of 60 convenience stores in the Midwest. In 1987, he then used cash from the convenience stores to build his first hotel, a Marriott in Wichita. His businesses also included oil distribution and one of the country's largest manufacturers of hand trucks. In 1994, Ruffin leased his convenience stores to Total, using the money to purchase more hotels. Then, in 1995, Ruffin acquired the Crystal Palace casino resort in Nassau in the
Bahamas The Bahamas, officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an archipelagic and island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean. It contains 97 per cent of the archipelago's land area and 88 per cent of its population. ...
. Mortgaging the casino, Ruffin then purchased the
New Frontier Hotel and Casino The New Frontier (formerly Hotel Last Frontier and The Frontier) was a hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The property began as a casino and dance club known as Pair O' Dice, opened in 1931. It was sold in 1941, and inc ...
.


New Frontier Hotel and Casino

Ruffin is best known for his purchase of the New Frontier Hotel and Casino, one of the
Las Vegas Strip The Las Vegas Strip is a stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada, that is known for its concentration of resort hotels and casinos. The Strip, as it is known, is about long, and is immediately south of the Las Vegas city limits ...
's venerable properties. When he bought the resort from Margaret Elardi and her family, it had been mired in a longtime strike, the longest running in American history, with employees represented by the Culinary Workers Union, one of the most powerful labor organizations in Las Vegas. Ruffin settled the strike very soon after his purchase in 1998. Soon after, the casino-hotel became known as the New Frontier. In 2005, Ruffin announced plans to demolish the New Frontier and replace it in 2005 with a new resort to be called The Montreaux, but the development never got off the ground. Ruffin sold the New Frontier to El Ad Properties in 2007. The $1.2 billion sale price for the property was the largest per-acre price in The Strip's history.


Treasure Island

MGM Mirage MGM Resorts International is an American multinational hospitality, sports and entertainment company. It operates resorts in Las Vegas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Maryland, Ohio, New Jersey, Macau, Shanghai, Chengdu, Hangzhou and San ...
sold Treasure Island Hotel and Casino (TI) to Ruffin in March 2009. The negotiated price was $600 million in cash and $175 million in secured notes. Ruffin estimates that to build a casino like Treasure Island from the ground up would cost $2.7 billion. In calendar year 2008, Treasure Island reported $376M in revenue (down from $431M in 2007) and $101M in
EBITDA A company's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (commonly abbreviated EBITDA, pronounced ) is a measure of a company's profitability of the operating business only, thus before any effects of indebtedness, state-mandat ...
. Ruffin expressed his lack of concern about buying a casino in a down market, because the TI will have very little debt. Ruffin took complete ownership of the hotel and casino resort in the early morning of March 20, 2009. In February 2018 he said he had turned down a "huge" offer for TI from a Chinese firm, explaining that Strip assets are "irreplaceable." "There isn't any price they could throw at me that would interest me," he said. "Money is not that valuable. Assets are valuable, especially when they are irreplaceable."Prince, Todd; Treasure Island owner stays upbeat on Las Vegas prospects; Las Vegas Review Journal; February 3, 2018

/ref>


Trump International Tower

Ruffin's joint venture with his friend
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
involved a portion of the New Frontier land. The Trump International Hotel and Tower, built immediately adjacent to the Fashion Show Mall, broke ground in July 2005. The tower opened in March 2008, and plans for an identical second tower were announced. Ruffin has a half-interest in the development, having contributed the land for his part of the deal.


Circus Circus

MGM Resorts International MGM Resorts International is an American Multinational corporation, multinational hospitality, sports and entertainment company. It operates resorts in Las Vegas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Maryland, Ohio, New Jersey, Macau, Shanghai, ...
sold
Circus Circus Las Vegas Circus Circus Las Vegas is a hotel and casino located on the northern Las Vegas Strip in Winchester, Nevada, Winchester, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Phil Ruffin. Circus Circus includes the largest permanent circus in the world. It featur ...
to Ruffin in December 2019 for $825 million. The purchase includes the adjacent Slots-A-Fun Casino, the Adventuredome amusement park, and adjacent open space. Ruffin plans to add to the property a swimming pool complex with a wave machine, sand beaches and a
lazy river "(Up A) Lazy River" is a popular tune and song by Hoagy Carmichael and Sidney Arodin, published in 1930. The melody is by Arodin, arranged and with words modified by Carmichael. It is considered a jazz standard and pop standard, and has ...
ride. In January 2025, Ruffin stated his intention to sell the property.


Wichita Greyhound Park

Ruffin's company owns Wichita Greyhound Park. On August 7, 2007, Ruffin announced that he would close the track, after a voting
referendum A referendum, plebiscite, or ballot measure is a Direct democracy, direct vote by the Constituency, electorate (rather than their Representative democracy, representatives) on a proposal, law, or political issue. A referendum may be either bin ...
to allow
slot machine A slot machine, fruit machine (British English), poker machine or pokie (Australian English and New Zealand English) is a gambling machine that creates a game of chance for its customers. A slot machine's standard layout features a screen disp ...
s or
casino A casino is a facility for gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shops, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos also host live entertainment, such as stand-up comedy, conce ...
gambling at his dog racing track failed by a narrow margin. The referendum to expand gambling at the dog track was long opposed by Kansas state Senate President Susan Wagle, a Republican who owned bingo parlors with her husband.


Convenience stores

Ruffin Companies' web site states that the company owns 61 convenience stores leased to Total and operated by Diamond Shamrock over a three-state area.


Lodging

Ruffin's Hotel Group division owns and operates 13 hotels under the Marriott Hotels, Fairfield Inn and Courtyard by Marriott brands in
Oklahoma Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...
,
Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...
,
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
,
Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
and
Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...
.


Manufacturing

Ruffin owns and operates Harper Trucks, the world's largest manufacturer of
hand truck A hand truck, also known as a hand trolley, dolly, stack truck, trundler, box cart, sack barrow, cart, sack truck, two wheeler, or bag barrow, is an L-shaped box-moving cart, handcart with handles at one end, wheels at the base, with a small ledg ...
s and Angelus Manufacturing, a maker of steel hand trucks. In December 2013, Ruffin purchased the assets of
Torrance, California Torrance is a coastal city in the Los Angeles metropolitan area located in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, United States. The city is part of what is known as the South Bay (Los Angeles County), South Bay region of the metropolitan ...
-based WelCom Products, makers of the Magna Cart line of folding hand trucks sold across the US and over 25 countries worldwide.


Casino Miami

Ruffin purchased Casino Miami in
Miami, Florida Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
which was sold to him on December 3, 2018. It is located at 3500 NW 37th Avenue, Miami, Florida with extensive plans to expand.


Relationship with Donald Trump

Ruffin is a longtime friend and business partner of
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
, who was the
best man A groomsman or usher is one of the male attendants to the groom in a wedding ceremony. Usually, the groom selects close friends and relatives to serve as groomsmen, and it is considered an honor to be selected. From his groomsmen, the groom usuall ...
at Ruffin's third wedding in 2008. Matea Gold
Longtime Trump friend seeded pro-Trump super PAC with $1 million
''
Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'', February 4, 2016.
"Few know Trump as well, or in as many capacities, as Ruffin," reported the ''
Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...
'' in March 2017. They met at Trump Tower "in the early 2000s" when Ruffin was considering adding a Trump hotel to his Treasure Island casino. That idea did not pan out, but sometime later, in Las Vegas, "Ruffin took Trump to a Nordstrom parking lot to show him a parcel of undeveloped land." Ruffin said, "This is where you ought to be," and Trump "instantly made a decision" to build there. Their wives are also good friends. Ruffin has described a Trump handshake as "better than any contract." In June 2018, Trump gave the Ruffins a tour of Air Force One during a stop in Las Vegas.


2013 Trump visit to Moscow

Ruffin may have become an important witness in the Trump-Russia Investigation and to disputed allegations in the related
Steele dossier The Steele dossier, also known as the Trump–Russia dossier, is a controversial political opposition research report on the Donald Trump 2016 presidential campaign, 2016 presidential campaign of Donald Trump compiled by counterintelligen ...
. Trump had flown on Ruffin's private jet to Moscow in 2013 for the Trump-owned Miss Universe Pageant. At the time Ruffin himself was married to a former Miss Universe, Ukrainian supermodel, Oleksandra Nikolayenko. Trump has since been accused of having engaged with prostitutes in
urolagnia Urolagnia, also known as urophilia, is a paraphilia in which sexual excitement is associated with urine or urination. Etymologically, the term comes from the Greek , meaning 'urine', and , meaning 'lust'. A golden shower is slang for the practic ...
-related sexual activities in a hotel room during that trip, and that those activities were filmed by Russian agents intended for the blackmailing of Donald Trump ('' kompromat''). Former British intelligence officer, Christopher Steele provided reports of such activities, although they have not been substantiated in any major media outlets. Trump has repeatedly denied having stayed overnight in Moscow for the pageant (and therefore didn't require a hotel room) despite flight records indicating that Ruffin's plane arrived in Moscow on a Friday morning and departed Sunday. On that same trip. Ruffin may also have attended a meeting with Trump, Trump's bodyguard Keith Schiller, and local Russian officials regarding the development of a Trump Tower Moscow, another important aspect of the Trump-Russia Investigation.


Trump Campaign

In 2015, Trump also mentioned Ruffin as a person that he would send as an envoy to China if elected president. Ruffin said later that the remark was a joke. Ruffin loaned Trump his personal 737 BBJ jet to fly to Mexico City to meet with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto on August 31, 2016. Ruffin gave $1 million in 2015 to the Make America Great Again PAC, a
super PAC Independent expenditure-only political action committees, better known as super PACs, are a type of political action committee (PAC) in the United States. Unlike traditional PACs, super PACs are legally allowed to fundraise unlimited amounts of m ...
supporting the Trump's campaign for the presidency. Ruffin's contribution made up more than half of all of the contributions received by the super PAC ($1.74 million). The super PAC shut down and refunded Ruffin's money after the ''Washington Post'' reported on its close association with Trump's campaign. At an event in January 2016, Trump praised Ruffin for making a $1 million donation to veterans' groups. In April 2017, Ruffin said that he talks with Trump every fortnight or so. "If something comes up, I’ll call him," Ruffin stated. "They’ll always put me through. But I don't call unless it's something important." In May 2017, he lamented that the news media had "a vendetta" against Trump. "I don't know how he can stand it," Ruffin said. "Every day it's something new. If he says good morning, they find something wrong with that." He added that Trump was "not used to that level of criticism. He gave up a lot – the most luxurious life you can imagine, and he did it to try to help the country." Ruffin told ''
Sheldon Adelson Sheldon Gary Adelson (August 4, 1933 – January 11, 2021) was an American businessman, investor, and political donor. He was the founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Las Vegas Sands Corporation, which founded the Marina Bay Sa ...
s Las Vegas Review-Journal in February 2018 that he was "thrilled to death" with Trump's tax cuts. Together with his spouse, Ruffin contributed a total of $1.5 million to Trump's 2020 presidential campaign. In 2023, Ruffin contributed $2 million to Trump's Make America Great Again ( MAGA Inc.) super PAC.


Trump University settlement payment

In February 2019, during a meeting of the US House Committee on Oversight and Reform, Congresswoman Jackie Speier suggested "a Kansan", later revealed to be Ruffin, had paid $25 million to satisfy Trump's liability in the Trump University judgement. Ruffin admitted to paying Trump $28 million in 2018, but claimed it was for "back-fees" related to
Trump International Hotel Las Vegas The Trump International Hotel Las Vegas is a 64-story hotel, condominium, and timeshare located on Fashion Show Drive in Paradise, Nevada, United States, named for part owner Donald Trump. It is located down the street from Wynn Las Vegas, b ...
and unrelated to the Trump University case.


Personal life

Ruffin has been married three times. He has three children with his second wife Lynne: Daughter Michelle Ruffin-Stein runs the Wichita Marriott which he owns; his son Chris Ruffin runs Wichita Hyatt which he owns; and his son Phil Ruffin Jr. runs Harper Trucks Inc. a hand truck manufacturer. On January 6, 2008, the then-72-year-old Ruffin married the then-26-year-old supermodel and Miss Ukraine 2004 title holder Oleksandra Nikolayenko. They have two children: Rizzard William Ruffin (born April 2010) and daughter Malena (born 2013). Ruffin funded "an organic food and learning initiative" at the Alexander Dawson School at Rainbow Mountain, which his two youngest children attend. Ruffin appeared on the 7th season of GSN's '' High Stakes Poker''.


References


External links


Harper Trucks official website
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ruffin, Phil 1936 births Living people American billionaires American casino industry businesspeople American hoteliers American manufacturing businesspeople American businesspeople in real estate American people of Lebanese descent Nevada Republicans Businesspeople from the Las Vegas Valley Businesspeople from Wichita, Kansas